Developer: Growfish Interactive
Publisher: Big Sugar
Platform: Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5
Tested on: Switch
Trifox – Review
If you were around in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, you may remember a time when the 3D platformer was the dominant video game genre, and where the likes of Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and even Bubsy tried to dethrone Mario himself. 3D platformers may not be as ubiquitous as they were two decades ago, but they’re still around, with the heavy hitters of that bygone era still getting new titles and even the occasional newcomer -like Yooka-Laylee– giving players the opportunity to relive their gaming youth. One such newcomer is Trifox, the hero of Belgian indie developer Growfish Interactive’s debut game. With the 3rd-strike crew being (mostly) Belgium-based ourselves, we couldn’t resist giving Trifox a try, of course. Read on to find out our verdict.
Story
As much as we enjoy getting sucked into intricately woven narratives, a game doesn’t always need a deep and elaborate story to keep us interested. Such is the case with Trifox, which is built around a very simple premise: the titular Trifox is enjoying a lazy afternoon, but his peace is disturbed by burglars who take off with -among other things- the TV remote. Unfortunately for these dastardly thieves, Trifox happens to be a secret hero of sorts with three distinct suits (Trifox, get it?) that grant him unique powers. The burglars may have a head start, but that isn’t going to stop our furry friend from tracking them down and getting his stuff back. The story is so simple that it can be told without uttering a single line of dialogue and it’s surprising just how much personality is given to the cast in the short, wordless opening cutscene.
Graphics
Using a low-poly art style, and a less-cutesy-than-expected design for the protagonist, Trifox definitely has a lot going for it aesthetically. Enemy designs are fantastic, with bosses in particular standing out, and each of the four worlds that our hero has to visit on his quest look and feel distinct enough. While we absolutely adore Trifox’s art direction, the game suffers from several visual issues that affected our overall enjoyment of the game. The biggest issue here is the frame rate that, on the Switch at least, seemingly dips into single-digit numbers. Your mileage may vary in this regard on PC or Xbox, but what can’t be avoided on those other platforms are the awkward camera angles that occasionally make it difficult to correctly time jumping around.
Sound
As we mentioned in the story section of this review, there isn’t a single line of dialogue to be found in Trifox and that also means that there is no real voice acting present. You’ll have to make do with generic grunts and groans, and these are serviceable but not outstanding. Neither is the music, which is fitting but feels generic and not particularly memorable. Likewise, the sound effects didn’t really wow us. All in all, we felt like Trifox’s soundscape was underwhelming and forgettable.
Gameplay
If Trifox had simply been a 3D platformer in the same vein as the examples we mentioned earlier, it would have been fine but unremarkable. For the most part, it sticks to the tried-and-true formula that many gamers look back on fondly. However, Growfish Interactive went above and beyond this when it comes to gameplay, by mixing classic 3D platforming gameplay with top-down twin-stick shooting action. Trifox’s ability to swap between three suits is a fun twist. These all bring a different playstyle to the table. The game feels focused and streamlined, despite the relatively large amount of ideas and mechanics that are implemented here. There is nothing particularly groundbreaking here but the way the various gameplay elements are seamlessly blended here makes Trifox still feel fresh and exciting.
The Engineer, Mage, and Warrior suits all offer distinctly different playstyles. The Engineer relies on gadgets, the Mage uses ranged magical attacks, and the Warrior is a short-range tank. In addition, each suit can also be customized with purchasable skills. There are thirty of these skills in total. You’ll have one movement skill and nine others for each class. These range from enemy-seeking bullets to being able to dash quickly. Unfortunately, the skills are never really explained apart from a visual indicator on a monitor in Trifox’s lair in the hub area, so figuring out which skills to use typically involves trial and error. Up to four skills can be mixed and matched, resulting in a wide array of options. That being said, it’s not as simple as just cherry-picking the best skills for each class. You’ll need to keep an eye on energy consumption as well, and the more potential a skill has, the more resources you need to keep using it. With three distinct playstyles and an enormous amount of skill combos, things could have gone very wrong here but Trifox finds the right balance between accessibility and customizability.
A similar balance is struck between how challenging the game is and how forgiving it is should Trifox meet his doom. If you miss one of the trickier jumps and fall, for example, you’ll simply lose a smidgeon of health rather than being taken back to one of the checkpoints -of which there are plenty too. The occasional awkward camera angles can affect depth perception, so the way this is handled prevents frustration. Of course, Trifox’s challenge isn’t just limited to making your way around tricky landscapes, there is a whole horde of enemies waiting to ruin your day, including an array of bosses. We particularly enjoyed the boss battles here, as they are chaotic and challenging but never feel unfair. Specific suits and skills are more advantageous against certain bosses, of course, so mastering all three playstyles definitely is the key to success here.
Trifox is a fairly short title, with only twelve levels spread over three distinct worlds, and playing through the game should only take most players an evening or so, but there are plenty of reasons to return to the game after the credits roll. Replaying levels allows Trifox to find more coins, which are used to buy skills, and there are also a lot of secrets to be found that rely on having a specific suit and/or skill set equipped for you to be able to reach them. There are plenty of environmental puzzles to solve too, and some of these were surprisingly clever. The layouts of the levels are generally good, although there is the occasionally awkward camera angle and we did feel like some of the stages were a tad too long, even if they were enjoyable. Completionists in particular will see these stages plenty of times, as purchasing every upgrade will set you back a lot of coins. Even if you’re looking to get through the game in the most efficient way possible, you might end up spending more time than you’d like because the game doesn’t really tell you what a skill does before you buy it, and we sometimes felt like we wasted coins on something that wasn’t as useful as we had hoped.
There are other areas where Trifox could have been improved upon, such as the ability to change your equipped skills mid-level, given that these sometimes take upwards of twenty minutes to complete. If you happen to carry a less-than-beneficial loadout, having to restart the level can be a bit frustrating, but ultimately, Trifox is still an excellent 3D platformer. Given that this is the debut title of an indie studio, we can’t quite hold it to the same standards as an AAA release, and the game definitely surpassed our expectations, despite the issues we mentioned. As a showcase of Growfish Interactive’s potential, Trifox is an impressive piece of software, and if a potential sequel irons out the kinks, then we predict a bright future for our vulpine friend.
Conclusion
Despite some rough edges, Trifox provides plenty of fun. The mix-and-match weapon loadouts and distinct gameplay styles provide players with a customizable experience that is accessible and varied, despite the game’s seemingly short length. We’re going to go on a limb here and assume that the frame rate issues we encountered are specific to the Switch release, and if this is the case, then we recommend picking the game up on PC or Xbox (or PlayStation if you’re patient as the game is announced but yet to launch on that platform at the time of writing). However, even if the Switch is your only option, this is definitely a title to check out if you’re looking for a game that captures the spirit of late ‘90s/early 2000s 3D platformers.
Trifox - Review,
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